Stretch fabric watchband

ABSTRACT

The method and apparatus for efficiently cutting accurately sized panels in an unlimited combination of sizes and shapes from larger sheets. The sheets are automatically counted and stacked on a gauge table, the stack is clamped by jaws which establish a reference line relative to a cutting station, and the stack is advanced along the table for accurately dimensioned rip cuts. One or more of these cut stacks are then moved on a rip run-out unit to a cut-off infeed and gauge table where they are automatically aligned, clamped to establish a second reference line, and accurately advanced to a cut-off station where cross-cut sawing produces finished panels. The stacks are moved and gauged by either digital or analog hydraulic servo motors which accurately position the reference lines relative to the saw stations by controlled deceleration of the load to stop the stacks. At each saw station hold-downs prevent sheet displacement as the saw traverses. Each saw automatically senses cutting load and returns to its initial position immediately upon finishing a cut. Linear saw speed is controlled as a function of saw load. Means are provided to automatically remove trim and scrap.

United States Patent Gluckin {54] STRETCH FABRIC WATCHBAND [76]Inventor: Gerald W. Gluckin, 180 Madison Ave., New York, NY. 10016 [22]Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 75,225

[52] U.S. Cl ..224/4 E, 24/74 R, 24/265 WS [51] Int. Cl ..A44c 5/22 [58]Field of Search..224/4 D, 4 E; 24/74 R, 265 WS [5 6] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1943 Westerfield ..24/74 R 8/1922 Kemgood 1..24/74 R 9/1930 Roy ..224/4 E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 923,2294/1963 Great Britain ..224/4E 61,502 10/1912 Switzerland ..224/4EPrimary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Attorney-Bauer and Amer ABSTRACT Alength of stretch fabric which is readily selectively engaged with awristwatch and held, by a clip or the like, by its likewise free ends ina closed loop so as to effectively function as a watchband. The fabricis selected to coordinate with the wearers attire and the stretchthereof facilitates placement and removal of the band from about thewearers wrist.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED I973 3.706.404

INVENTOR. GE RA L D N. GLUCK IN ATTORNEYS A REPLACEABLE WATCHBAND ingdecorative design. The popularity of stretch fabric as a watchband hasnot reached its ultimate potential, however, because it is not alsoreadily replaceable so that the wearer has a range of selection in muchthe same way as with other items of apparel.

Broadly, it is an object to provide an improved stretch fabric watchbandov er c oming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art.Specifically it is an object to provide a readily replaceable watchbandand in so doing thus afford the wearer a greater choice of bands for thepurpose of fashion coordinatigna. HQ

A replaceable watchband exemplifying the present invention includes aselected length of stretch fabric that after being engaged toafwristwatch is selectively held by a clip or the like in a closed loopso as to function as a watchband. The clip is opened only duringreplacement of the band since removal from th wearers wrist is achievedby stretching the band.

The above brief description, 3s Wll?sTfirth& objects, features andadvantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a presentlypreferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, eteim -7 FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the replaceablewatchband hereof;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view, on an enlarged scale, illustratingstructural details of a holding member of the band.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein there is shown areplaceable watchband, generally 45 ends20 and 22.

2 ment of the watch 14 to the band. Specifically, it is contemplated, inaccordance with the present invention, that the stretch fabric band 10will be provided in a selected length which terminates in opposite freeends 20 and 22, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, and that one of thesefree ends will be threaded through the slots bounded by the bars 16, 18.Cooperating to thereafter hold these free ends 20 and 22 in a closedloop, such as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is holding means 24.

Holding means 24 includes a substantially flat body 26 which at oppositeends has a first and second rearwardly bent pair of ears 28 and 30.Pivotally mounted, as at 32, in each of the ears are L-shaped grippingmembers 34 and 36. As is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, each of thegripping members, as exemplified by the gripping member 34, is adaptedto be pivoted from a clearance position out of engagement with itscooperating band end 20 through closing movement 38 into engagementwithsaid band end. To contribute to establishing a firm engagementtherebetween, the shorter leg 40 of each of the gripping members 34, 36has an interrupted gripping edge 42 which, when pressed into the body ofthe band 10, is effective in firmly engaging the same. Moreover, it willbe understood that the band 10 will be under a slight tension in theopposite directions 44, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which is effective inholding the gripping members 34 and 36 in their respective closedpositions in engagement with the band free From the foregoing it shouldbe readily appreciated that with the band free ends 20 and 22 engagedwithin the holding means 20 that the band 10 forms a closed loop whichpermits the same to efficiently function as a watchband in that the usercan slip her or his wrist through the opening bounded by the closed loopband 10. Naturally, the placement of band 10 upon the wearers wrist andalso the removal thereof is facilitated by the stretch capacity of theband 10. That is, the band has a minimum size diameter, as illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2, that will be understood to be related to the wearerswrist and is adapted, by stretching, to be increased from this minimumsize to an appropriately increased size which readily permits removal ofthe band 10.

From the foregoing it should also be readily appreciated that simply bypivoting the gripping members consisting wholly or in part ofelastomeric material, 34 and 3 through opening movement that holdingsuch as is used in foundation garments.

In accordance with the present invention, the elongated stretch fabricband 10 has an outer visible surface 12 which will be understood to beapproi riately decorated, as by beinfifint'ed or otherwise user fromwhich she can make a selection depending upon her attire at the time.The foregoing thus necessitates that band "'10 b5 readily attafliabieand detachable from a conventional wristwatch 12 to permit thereplacement thereof.

As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2, the wristwatch 14 includesband-retaining bars 16 and 18 for thread ably receiving the band 10 andcompleting the engagefeatures.

means 24 is readily detached from the band free ends 20 and 22. Oncethis is achieved, the band 10 is itself readily detached from itsthreaded engagement with the wrist'vVich l tlThe useFcan then simplyrethread another replaceable watchband, similar to the band 10 but withperhaps another design or color embodied therein, about the bars 16 and18, thereby engaging the watch 14 intermediate the free ends of this newband. These free ends are then engaged, in the manner already described,so as to form the band 10 into a closed loop which permits the usethereof as a watchband.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherAccordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construedbroadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of theinvention herein.

I claim:

l. A replaceable watchband comprising, in combination, a wristwatchhaving bar means respectively bounding watchband-receiving loops atopposite sides thereof, a watchband formed of an elongated length ofstretch fabric of substantially uniform thickness having a medial lengthportion terminating in opposite free ends, ,said watchband beingoperatively arranged with said medial length portion thereof replaceablythreaded through said loops in underlying relation to said wristwatchand withsaid free ends in a remote position from said loops and inunattached relation thereto, and a holding means operatively efiectiveto receive said band free ends from opposite directions so as to form aclosed loop of said band with said holding means located in opposingrelation to said wristwatch, said holding means including asubstantially flat body and a pair of L- shaped gripping membersrelatively spaced from each other on and pivotally mounted to said body,each said gripping member having a short leg including gripping meansthereon and a long leg for finger pivotal movement of said short leg,and a bandreceiving passage between each said short leg and flat body toreceive a cooperating one of said band free ends therein so as to beengaged by the pivoting of said short leg to secure the same to saidholding means to thereby form said watchband closed loop, whereby saidwristwatch is removable from the users wrist by expansion of said band,and said band is readily detachable from said holding means jiiPWQEYFPla m at t fi i I i l

1. A gauge unit for gauging one or more sheets of material in a stackalong a gauge axis for cutting the stack into sections transversely ofsaid axis at a cutting station, the resulting sections having accuratelydimensioned and squared dimensions, including the combination of: agauge table for supporting the stack; gauge clamping means for clampingthe stack to prevent relative displacement of the sheets and establish areference line fixed relative to the stack; means for raising andlowering the clamping means into and out of the plane of the gauge tableso that the stack may be moved over the full length of the table; and,means to transverse the clamped stack and clamping means along the gaugetable to accurately index the stack and reference line relative to thecutting station for said transverse cuts.
 2. The invention of claim 1wherein the traversing means includes a gauge carriage mounted fortraversing movement along said axis with said clamping means mounted formovement with the carriage, and further including power means totraverse the carriage to and from the cutting station with saidreference line of the stack being moved sequentially to predeterminedlocations relative to the cutting station.
 3. The invention of claim 2wherein the power means comprises servo motor means operating responsiveto control signals to move the carriage a distance which is a functionof the signals; and, control means to direct a predetermined number ofsignals to the motor means according to the desired location foraccurately stopping the stack relative to the cutting station.
 4. Theinvention of claim 2 wherein the power means comprises servo motor meansoperating responsive to control signals to move the carriage graduallyto a stop; and, control means to direct signals to the motor means in anamount so that the driving energy of the motor means decreases at alevel which is a predetermined amount greater than the kinetic energy ofthe load, including the stack, clamp means, and carriage, during afreely sliding stop thereof to eliminate overshoot of the stack.
 5. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein the clamping means includes: a plurality ofclamps laterally spaced across the gauge axis, each clamp includingfirst jaw means adapted to grip one side of the stack and second jawmeans movable with respect to the first jaw means into clampingrelationship with the opposite side of the stack; and, means supportingthe clamps for said traversing movement to a saw station while clampingthe stack, and from the saw station for return to an initial positionprior to clamping a subsequent stack.
 6. The invention of claim 5wherein the clamping means further includes: actuating means to retractthe first and second jaw means below the gauge table while they traversefrom the saw station so that the stack can be pushed on the gauge tableto clear the forward edge of the jaw means, and to extend one of the jawmeans to vertically clear the stack in the clamp initial position priorto clamping; and, means to move the clamps forward so that the forwardedges of the jaw means overlap the stack rearward edge a predeterminedamount with said one jaw means raised; said first actuating meansfurther operating to retract said one jaw means for clamping the stackand establishing said reference line.
 7. The invention of claim 1wherein the traversing means includes support means movable to selectedpositions along the gauge axis, and mounting means to resiliently mountthe clamp means for floating vertical support with respect to thesupport means, and for longitudinal movement along the axis with thesupport means.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the mounting meansincludes means slidably mounting the clamping means for verticalmovement with respect to the support means, and means to resilientlybias the clamping means upwardly with respect to the support means tocarry a portion of the weight of the clamping means with the remainingweight being carried by the stack.
 9. The invention of claim 8 whereinthe support means comprises movable carriage means, and the clampingmeans comprises first jaw means having a rear extension mounted forvertical sliding movement with respect to the carriage means, second jawmeans having a rear extension mounted for vertical sliding movement withrespect to the first jaw means extension, actuator means for moving thesecond jaw means between extended and retracted positions with respectto the first jaw means, and said resilient means is connected betweenthe carriage means and second jaw means extension.
 10. The invention ofclaim 9 wherein the actuator means comprises a pair of double-actingactuators connected end-to-end, and control means to actuate one of saidactuators for moving the first jaw means to an intermediate position, tomove the first jaw means forward in its intermediate position to nudgeadjacent stack sections for alignment, to actuate the second actuatorfor moving the first jaw means to its extended position, to move the jawmeans forward to overlap the sections, and to operate at least oneactuator to retract the first jaw means for clamping.